Combined toilet seat and reelable seat cover
Patent 4847922 Issued on July 18, 1989. Estimated Expiration Date: 
March 22, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
March 22, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesArrangement for fitting and changing a tubular cover made of plastic film on a toilet seat, and method for forming a tube Device for applying and conveying a protective cover for a toilet seat Actuating apparatus in a lavatory seat covering system Hygienic toilet seat assembly Toilet seat covering Patent #: 4766618 InventorsApplicationNo. 07/171852 filed on 03/22/1988US Classes:4/243.2Tubular type coverExaminersPrimary: Recla, Henry J.Assistant: Barrett, Glenn T. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesA47K 13/00 (20060101)A47K 13/14 (20060101) ClaimsWhat I claim is:1. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device comprising: a seat mounting plate; a substantially U-shaped seat having a first end portion mounted on said mounting plate member, said U-shaped seat extending forward from said seat mounting plate and having a free second end extending back to said mounting plate, said first endportion having a top face, a bottom face, and two opposite side faces; a reel rotatably mounted on said seat mounting plate adjacent to said free second end and adapted to carry a flexible lay-flat cover tube; means for mounting said first end on said seat mounting plate, said means including a support for holding said first end portion at a level above said mounting plate, said support incorporating roller means at said top and bottom faces, and saidside faces of said first end portion for clamping therebetween said first end portion and allowing the flexible cover tube to pass therebetween; a wind-up roller; a drive means for driving said wind-up roller; and means for mounting said wind-up roller on said seat mounting plate adjacent to said first end. 2. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device comprising: a seat mounting plate; a substantially U-shaped seat having a first end portion mounted on said mounting plate member, said Ushaped seat extending forwardly from said seat mounting plate and having a free second end extending back to said mounting plate; a reel rotatably mounted on said seat mounting plate adjacent to said free second end; means for mounting said first end on said seat mounting plate, said means including a support which incorporates roller means for clamping therebetween said first end portion at a level above said mounting plate; a flexible lay-flat tube cover wound on said reel, said flexible tube cover capable of being sleeved on said U-shaped seat through said free second end and passing between said roller means at said first end portion; a wind-up roller; a drive means for driving said wind-up roller; and means for mounting said wind-up roller on said seat mounting plate adjacent to said first end. 3. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 2, in which said first end portion of said U-shaped seat includes a top face, a bottom face, two opposite side faces, a first cavity opening at said top and bottomface, and a second cavity horizontally spaced apart from said first cavity and being open at said bottom face and at both said side faces, wherein said support of said means for mounting said first end portion includes two brackets vertically extendingfrom said seat mounting plate on two sides of said first end portion near said first cavity, said roller means including first rollers which are rotatable about a horizontal axis and which include first interior rollers attached to said first end portionin said first cavity, and first exterior rollers mounted on said bracktrs adjacent to said top and bottom faces, said first interior rollers and said first exterior rollers contacting each other, said roller means further including second rollers whichare rotatable about vertical axes and includes second interior rollers attached to said first end portion in said second cavity and second exterior rollers mounted on said mounting plate adjacent to both said side faces and contacting said secondinterior rollers. 4. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 2, in which said drive means has a rotary output shaft, and said wind-up roller is a sleeve roller which has one end sleeved around said output shaft, said shafthaving an end with a radially extending pin thereon, said one end of said sleeve roller having a substantially T-shaped notch so as to engage releaseably said pin of said output shaft. 5. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means for mounting said wind-up roller includes a vertical post mounted on said mounting plate and a helical spring loaded thereon to provide ameasure of resiliency, said vertical post having a slot to permit another end of said sleeve roller to be inserted into said slot. 6. A combined toilet seat and a reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said U-shaped seat includes first and second hinged end segments to define said first and second end portions. 7. A combined toilet seat and a reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for limiting the length of the sheet cover to be wound up by said wind-up roller, said limiting means including an electric switch tocontrol the operation of said driving means, a friction roller which is mounted on said mounting plate upstream of said wind-up roller for rotation upon being frictioned by said flexible tube cover, a speed reducing gear assembly associated with saidfriction roller, said gear assembly including a gear which incorporates a spring plate to act on said switch so as to place it in a de-energized position when a predetermined used length of said cover tube is wound up. 8. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electric switch has an actuating plate, said limiting means further including an upright partition plate disposed between said spring plate and saidactuating plate, said upright partition plate permitting said spring plate to actuate said actuating plate when said gear turns to a predetermined position. 9. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said actuating plate has an end portion extending over a top end of said partition plate, said spring plate striking said end portion of said actuatingplate when it turns from a lower position to a higher position. 10. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said partition plate has an opening near said top end of said partition plate, said spring plate entering said opening, then being bent and released fromsaid opening upon upward movement and finally stretching suddenly to strike said actuating plate when moving past said top end. 11. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a belt drive mechanism for transmitting movement from said output shaft to said shaft of said friction roller, said belt drive mechanism beingoperative when no friction force is induced on said friction roller. 12. A combined toilet seat and reelable seat covering device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means for covering said mounting plate and means for preventing said gear from movement when said covering means is removed, said preventingmeans having a pawl member to engage with said gear, said covering means having a means for depressing said pawl member to disengage from said gear when said mounting plate is covered. |
